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The Experience Points Podcast

By Jorge Albor, Scott Juster, Experience Points

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Description

A weekly show from the authors of ExperiencePoints.net. Each episode we will have an in depth conversation on a particular video game related topic.

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CleanEXP Podcast #503: Game Time

If there's one thing that takes longer than downloading Red Dead Redemption 2, it's playing it. With all this time spent playing Red Dead, it's hard not to notice how the game marks its own passage of time. The sun rises and sets, animals...

Between the recent news from Blizzcon and the final Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Nintendo Direct, it seems like everyone is itching for a fight. Blizzard has been doing some damage control after dunking on its own fans while Nintendo is...

We pack our saddlebags and head out West this week to finally talk about Red Dead Redemption 2. This is a long game, so while the full debrief has to wait, today we'll share our first impressions, give some tips on hogtying insolent strangers,...

We've been at this old podcasting game for nigh on a decade now. We've seen a lot of comings and goings over the years, so this week we do a little retrospective on some of the standout trends that have changed the medium over the past ten...

This week on the EXP Podcast, we swing back into some games we've been playing. From the tall buildings of New York to the deep breaches of space-time, we take you on a journey of some recent hits and hidden gems. On our list...

Brace your routers: another generation of streaming game services is careening across the web and towards your wallet. This week, we talk about Project xCloud, along with efforts from Google, Ubisoft, and others to make a push for delivering games on...

Just look at the Sony Classic, a miniaturized version of the iconic PlayStation that's so small it has to be legally marked as a choking hazard. Which is perfect, because if there's one thing Sony wants us to shove down our throats, it's their...

Late last week, Telltale announced it was closing down the studio. It's never easy seeing so many people lose their jobs and some of the revelations about the questionable work environment make it even worse. The fact remains that Telltale...

Shocking revelations from Nintendo this past week with the news that Princess Peach is, in fact, a mushroom-person who is merely granted a human form using the powers of her royal crown. This week on the podcast, we discuss the latest news from Nintendo

It's September, which means it's back to school and back to games! This week to do a check in on three current games we've been playing: Marvel's Spiderman, Donut County, and Into the Breach. Now that I look at it, I find the variety...

Fishing? Who needs it. Crafting? No thanks. Alchemy? That's someone else's job. This week on the EXP Podcast, we're discussing all the wonderfully crafted game systems we just never seem to care about. From skinning animals to make larger wallets to...

I used to be worried about gene splicing, but then Motion Twin synthesized a hybrid of Dark Souls, Spelunky, Castlevania, along with a generous helping of their own secret sauce. Now I'm fully onboard with our wonderful future of procedural,...

Admit it. You hate Luigi. Even if you don't, we can all agree the younger Mario brother is the "green sheep" in the family. Inspired by Polygon's recent history of Luigi's unfortunate status in gaming, we discuss our feelings towards loser...

The future is here! Again. For at least the third time this year. It's like the future doesn't want to leave us alone. This week on the EXP Podcast, we discuss the MagicLeap, a new pair of Alternate Reality goggles that promise to change the way...

We've always suspected that Nintendo has sold millions of hardware and software units, but what if I told you they made mii-lions? Well now you can check for yourself! Nintendo has taken their investor relations site to the next level...

When automated robots and talking Amazon devices take over the world and subject us to all kinds of dehumanizing experiments in the name of creating a half-man half-robot demigod, will we think back to video games as the harbinger of the end days?...

Have you noticed things getting dark around here? Why are people swearing all the time? When did you start wearing eyeliner? Looks like we've just entered the gritty dimension. This week after a particularly grim and brooding...

This just in! Hackers have broken into the mega-city of Inkopolis and illegally modified their Splattershot weapons to fire ludicrous volumes of ink! And just went we thought Nintendo had built an impenetrable squid-city. This week on the...

The word is out: people are surprisingly obsessed with virtual trucking. How do we know this? Thanks to an inadvertent leak, Valve exposed data that gave us an unprecedented look at the player counts of games distributed via Steam. The hole has since...

This week on the show, we discuss some of the recent games we've been playing, which includes some of the best games of 2018 so far. Journey with us to Jurassic World Evolution where we care and nurture dinosaurs, to the land of the Nintendo...

This week, we talk about the evolution and possible dissolution of a once massive empire: GameStop. With news that they are pivoting to selling comics as well as quietly shopping around for a potential buyout, we review our past and current...

Mo-cap make-out sessions from The Last of Us II, a glimpse at Halo Infinite, minor nuclear radiation from Fallout 76, and a whole lot of Smash. This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I go over all the biggest announcements,...

E3 is in full swing and we are up to our eyeballs in press conferences and teaser trailers. We'll be back next week with a full E3 debrief. This week: we make a future Pokepredictions about our favorite pocket sized monsters. What with the steady...

Sometimes you just dig your heels. You draw a line in the sand. You find a hill and dammit, you're going to die on it! This week, we talk about the games we wrote off but then subsequently rediscovered. It might have been pride, stubbornness, or an...

We have journeyed the highest peak in midgard and battled the fiercest emissaries of Odin himself to bring you this week's episode. Today on the EXP Podcast, we review God of War. When you and your son are ready, turn up the...

With the closure of Boss Key games, it looks like the once famous/infamous "bad-boy" of video games Cliff Bleszinski is taking some time off the stage. This week on the EXP Podcast, we ponder the strange phenomenon of video game...

Quick: tell me everything you know about cryptocurrency and the buying and selling of video games! Joke's on you: while you've been struggling to put together an explanation that is simultaneously cogent without making you sound like a snake oil...

Well they finally did it: Nintendo has blocked the doorway to online play with a guy in a Waluigi hat stationed in front to collect your hard earned money. Buying your way in isn't outrageously expensive (especially compared to club Sony and the...

I declare Parley! Which I think means you have to stop what you're doing and listen to this episode. This week on the EXP Podcast, we discuss the unspoken rule of Parley in Sea of Thieves that is making the waters a little more...

After years of asking "Are we there yet?" everyone's favorite dad has pulled the metaphorical car over and dumped us into the mythical Norse wilderness. That's right, this week we talk about our first impressions of God of War. Grab your axe, grow out..

The yearly "beefcake" parade of video game protagonists is in full swing. In just two days, we get to become as Gods and rip arms off Viking deities. But are the power fantasies God of War provides really all that satisfying? How...

Overwatch's latest event is out, so it's time to see what those crafty omnics are up to. It seems like they've been taking some tips from zombies. Additionally, perennial husbando candidate Jeff Kaplan shared some thoughts about Overwatch's story and...

This week on the EXP Podcast, we set sail on the Sea of Thieves! Bounty, plunder, adventure, and swashbuckling abound. But is there really enough to sink our scurvy-ridden teeth into? And if these waters are shallow, what treasure awaits...

This week we're on the run from the law and the only thing that can save us is meticulously choreographed quicktime events. It's our in-depth debrief on A Way Out. We cover everything from virtual Connect Four to Mexican geography, so grab this crude...

Everything old is new again! This week on the EXP Podcast, we talk about some of the old classics we've been playing, from the Journey anniversary celebration to some high-heel-action in Bayonetta. Music from Bayonetta...

Looking for the hottest scoops on the 100% confirmed characters in the upcoming Smash Bros. for Switch? Well then you've come to the right place. After watching the latest Nintendo Direct, we can conclusively say that we'll be enjoying a Solaire vs....

In a time where in-game purchases, DLC, and loot boxes are everywhere, does warning consumers about gaming monetization provide much value? The ESRB thinks so! This week on the EXP Podcast, we discuss why the ESRB wants to make some...

You can save it and you can waste it. You can spend it and you can save it. You can kill it and you can cherish it. Once it's gone though, there's no getting it back. That's right, this episode is about the time! Stinging after a particularly brutal...

Our blades are sharp and our bellies are full with cat food. You know what that means? It's time to go a-huntin'! This week on the EXP Podcast, we dive deeper into Monster Hunter World and review some of the game's more complex...

Valentine's day is here, so stop stuffing your face with chocolates and throw away those flowers: it's time to play some video games with your main squeeze. But what type of co-op game will help you make a love connection and what type will...

The first three signs of the video game apocalypse have arrived. "And so it will be, that false peace, false heroes, and falses hats herald the end of days." This week on the EXP Podcast, we discuss this year's ill portents and what...

2018 is still getting ramped up when it comes to video games, but that just gives us a chance to play some games we missed from previous years. Of course, there's also the huge, feathery lizard in the room: Monster Hunter World! We've both spent some...

We are back from a one-week break, where we busied ourselves by constructing a massive functional Jaeger mecha out of cardboard. Then we come back to Nintendo's big announcement stealing our thunder! This week on the EXP Podcast, we chat...

It's not every day when you see a new genre emerge. Kart racing, fighting games, and now perhaps battle royal? This week we start off with a visit to our favorite vaguely post-apocalyptic eastern-European island and eventually travel to the limits of...

It's time to put the old behind us! 2017 was a great year for games, but who's to say 2018 won't be even better. With God of War, Wattam, and maybe even Red Dead Redemption around the corner, there are a ton of games to look...

2017 was such a buck wild year for games, there's no way we could cover all of our top picks in a single podcast. Luckily, we had the chance to dig into all the delicious leftovers and highlight more of the year's outstanding games!

One of the best years in gaming is coming to a close. Seriously. Throw a dart at a pile of 2017 games and you're likely to hit an absolute classic. Polygon even called 2017 "the best year in games since 2007," and that brought us The Orange...

It's that time of year: the time where we gather together to celebrate the wonderful absurdity that is the video game industry. 2017 has been an outstanding year for games, but which game will win the coveted title of The Gamey-est Game of...

This week on the EXP Podcast, we review the much-lauded Nier: Automata, a game that hides far more in its rusty, goofy-looking robots than you might expect. Love it or hate it, this is a one-of-a-kind game, so this is a debrief I've been eager to...

Download this podcast and open the file. Surprise! You have a 1 in 4000 chance of winning a special version in which our voices are played at 3x speed. Most of you will get an episode in which we take a look at the recent loot box discussions and...

It's that time of the year where friends and families gather around an offensively large portion of food and give thanks. This time, Scott and I are joining the festivities by serving up some of the things we're thankful for in games. From esports...

Put on your travelling cap, it's time to take an Odyssey with Mario to save Princess Peach from a bad Tinder date. This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I discuss the much-anticipated Mario Odyssey. Join us while we discuss the dark...

Ah, Paris: city of Zombies, ninjas, and procedurally generated adventures. This week, we talk about Sony's showing at Paris Games Week. There was a surprising amount of brand new stuff, so we dig through the announcements and maybe even commit a bit...

Scott and I have weaved our way through a barrage of bullets, over fields of violent vegetables, and through terrifying trainyards to bring you this week's EXP Podcast. At least, Cuphead is here and we've drunk down all (or most) of what the...

Hope in our magic wagon and mind the drive imps: it's time for a full debrief on Pyre! We touched on it a few episodes back, but now that we've both finished, it's time to talk about the weird intersection of arcade sports, turn based strategy, and...

This week on the EXP Podcast, we have reports from Destiny 2's first raid, our thoughts on the upcoming slate of Nintendo games as well as the company's bizarre approach to streaming, and a conversation about Red Dead Redemption 2. Will...

Forget about the carnage taking place within the slowly shrinking blue circle; this week we're talking about a vicious battle taking place outside of Playerunknown's Battlegrounds. Ok, maybe it's actually more of a slap fight, but even so it's still...

This week on the EXP Podcast, we wrestle with the dark underbelly of online gaming - its own players. With toxicity causing trouble in Overwatch, Steam's failure to address racist community groups, Campo Santo striking...

Jorge and I have been hard at work. Jorge has been fulfilling his destiny to become the best-dressed guardian in the universe while I've been practicing my 360 tomahawk jams. This week we do a check in on two of our most anticipated games of 2017:...

In space, no one can hear you scream against unsafe working conditions and unethical labor contracts with faceless multinational corporations. This week on the podcast, we put on our space pants and drift into Tacoma. What does this short little...

This week we take a journey to the north and debrief on Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice. This game was flying beneath our radar, but we couldn't be happier that we made the time to play it. Do yourself a favor: grab some headphones, carve out a few...

This week on the EXP Podcast, we pay a visit to Titanfall 2 and wonder where everyone went. Was it the dull brown of the landscape that cleared the room? Would this game be more popular if it had brighter colors, cooler names, or banana...

Sometimes, you play a game once and then bounce off, never to return. Other times you see the potential, but are put off by a weird mechanic. And sometimes you're just too damn lazy to leave the house and interact with other human beings....

The endless war between Mayonnaise and Ketchup continues in this EXP Podcast debrief on Splatoon 2. After we get into a heated discussion about condiments, we weigh in on the splatfest design, Nintendo's trouble relationship with online support,...

Summertime means relaxing on an island. After murdering the 99 other people on that island of course. This week we dive out of a plane and into Player Unknown's Battlegrounds. Along the way we learn about abbreviations, Twitch drama,...

This week on the EXP Podcast, we put on our space helmets and meet up in the Tower to discuss the Destiny 2 beta. How do the new classes feel? Is this a significant departure from the first Destiny? How money hours will we spend farming...

Strap on your bowcaster and fire up your T-16s folks: it's time to get immersed in the world of Star Wars. Disney is looking to bring a "100 percent immersive" Star Wars experience to us Earthlings, so Jorge and I decided it would be a good...

The last few months have been a whirlwind of good times with my Tokyo buds. I've laughed, I've cried, I've told my cat to shut up. Now, at long last, I've finally finished Persona 5. While it'll be awhile before Scott graduates Shujin Academy,...

Ah how time flies when you're desperately battling against its passage! We're halfway through 2017, so we decided to take stock of some topics that have been bubbling under the surface or were overlooked. VR, Player Unknown's...

In Nintendo's infinite wisdom, the NES Classic has been discontinued. But never fear lovers of nostalgia! The hardware distribution experts at Nintendo have announced the SNES Classic, another retro-gaming option that you can pre-order now regret...

It's time once again for our annual E3 debrief! This year we have some father-son drama, some good ol' fashioned pirate swashbuckling, hardware announcements, and so much more. Did we mention Mario? We've got some Mario too. Join us in the discussion...

CleanEXP Podcast #432: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Debrief, Part 5

We finally did it! Ganon is banished, Hyrule is peaceful(ish), and we can go back to pursuing our true passion: equine science. Or maybe we'll finally open up our hearty durian farm. Then again, our shield surfing skills could use...

CleanEXP Podcast #431: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Debrief, Part 4

Our march through Hyrule continues. In this penultimate debrief, we find some mysterious glowing animals, play a round of golf, and visit the Rito and and Gorons. Jorge laments the cruel blood moon and Scott pours one out for Andre, the...

This week we take a break to read the video game news and learn of many mysterious disappearances. Alan Wake has vanished, Red Dead Redemption 2 is no where to be found, and Destiny 2 is no where to be found on Steam, and Peter Parker is...

CleanEXP Podcast #428: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Debrief, Part 3

The further adventure of Scott and Jorge in Hyrule continues! This week on the podcast, we take on cursed dragons, question the logic of putting children into seats of power, and discuss the social habits of the bad-ass Gerudo warriors.

You know, the most tragic thing about What Remains of Edith Finch is that all the tragedy could have been avoided with a competent architect and a proper building inspection. Structural issues aside, there are still plenty of things to talk...

This week on the EXP Podcast, we journey to find the dark soul, deep in the Ringed City. It's the last time we delve into a Dark Souls game. What does this foray hold besides numerous deaths? Where will the adventure lead us? What will we do if it...

You won't find more stalwart defenders of video games as an artistic medium than Jorge and me, but even we have our moments of feeling self conscious. How does one describe the plot of Metal Gear Solid or talk about the hour the spent trying to...

Microsoft revealed some more information on their Xbox One refresh, project Scorpio. This kind of mid-cycle upgrade is still a new thing in the console space, so we use the new information as a starting point to check in on the PlayStation 4...

The gaming industry has suffered another loss, this time in the form of (in)famous peripheral manufacturer Mad Catz. What have we gained from their past creations? And what have we now lost, that is, besides controllers seemingly made from rubbish...

CleanEXP Podcast #421: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Debrief, part 1

Nothing like waking up from a century-long nap to get you in the mood for wandering the wilderness. What's that? You're hungry? Well don't you worry; we've got enough strange mushrooms and fiery peppers to keep you fueled up and...

Greetings from Mount Olympus, where I preside with the other Bloodborne Platinum Trophy owners over the casuals down on the muck you call Earth. This week on the EXP Podcast, I deign to speak with Scott about trophies and the place of...

Sharpen up your kusarigama and pack plenty of salt: we're talking about Nioh. This week we get into our podcast stance and apply all our ki in an attempt to understand the game's numerous complex mechanics. But mostly we just talk...

The Nintendo Switch is out and playable for those not living in Atlantis, a radio tower, or some combination of the two. This week on the EXP Podcast, we check-in on the public reaction and look ahead at some coming games. Show...

You know that old abandoned house in your neighborhood? Well it's probably just a sad, empty echo of happier times that no one is particularly interested in revisiting. Then again, it might be an elaborate shell; an ornate elevator to...

This week we are inspired by a Waypoint article arguing that Nioh proves that Dark Souls has created a genre. If so, what does that genre include and what should we call it? Does it bring any value to games to classify genres like this?...

What are you running from, Mario? A horde of rabid koopas? The long arm of the law? The unyielding, existential terror of modern existence? Whatever it is, he sure likes running. This week, we do a very rare mobile game...

You've waited nearly a decade, and we made you wait a little longer, but finally our debrief for The Last Guardian has arrived. How does the game measure up against Ico and Shadow of the Colossus, two of our favourite games of all time? Was it...

We're almost a month in to 2017. We'll ask the question we always ask at this time: How are your New Year's resolutions doing? Hopefully most of them revolved around "playing video games" because there are quite a few exciting things in...

The Nintendo Switch got its full reveal last week in what I think we can all agree was a very strange press conference. This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I discuss the many revelations, from the hardware tucked away inside those tiny controllers..

Did you see that? Probably nothing. It's late and you haven't slept for a while. That shadow wasn't really moving, inching towards you slowly, but with intent. Oh what's this? Someone has rummaged around in your...

2016 is over at long last. Before we ready ourselves for the cold nuclear winter ahead of us, let's take a look back at the notable games that didn't make out 2016 Game of the Year list. They might not have topped our personal charts, but all of these..

As the year draws to a close, it's time to hunker down and talk about our favorite games from 2016. Robots, demons, and even a little timeline trouble dominated the last 12 months. It was a great year for games, but we forced ourselves to...

When last we spoke, we left you with a cliffhanger that totally wasn't caused of a weird technical issue. But don't worry, the moment you're all waiting for is here: the award for the gamey-est game of 2016. Please hold your applause until...

Happy holidays everyone! It's time again for the second annual Gamey Awards. One of the most prestigious and sought-after awards in the games industry. Will this be the first year an AI wins the Waifu/Husbandu award? What game might actually be Frog...

Somehow Sony turned their small-ish fan event into a major venue for big video game news. This year's PlayStation experience brings us a bunch of new trailers, announcements, and (tangentially) another bizarro look into Kojima's latest, Death...

Forget Siri, Google Now, and Alexa: BT is the only AI assistant you'll ever need. He'll help you with turn by turn directions while crushing your enemies. This week we're doing a Titanfall 2 debrief. Between the new single-player...

This week on the EXP Podcast, we forlorn souls visit the cold and lonely painted world of Ariandel, AKA Dark Souls 3 DLC. What do we find there in the rotten world? Why, quite possibly the best boss in all of the Soulsborne franchise. Join...

As consummate professionals, Jorge and I are always on the lookout for others striving to be the best in their fields. That's why we are fascinated by the upcoming esports estorm that is professional Overwatch. Blizzard seems intent on...

While your reeling under the weight of the recent presidential election, we bring you this belated discussion of the Nintendo Switch. Consider it a memory of an earlier, more peaceful time, when all we did was go to rooftop parties and play...

Hey, I don't want to alarm anyone, but this esports thing is getting wild. So wild in fact, that Jorge ventured into the belly of the beast to bring us a report. This week, we talk about the League of Legends 2016 World Championship....

The world of sports and the world of gaming have never been so intertwined. We've got real life announcers adding color commentary to Madden patches and professional soccer players raising a fit over in-game FIFA stats. What's going on here? And...

Consider this an old west time capsule, amigos. It was buried under the digital soil during a simpler time; a time before we knew about Red Dead Redemption 2. Essentially, Jorge and I got super excited and we recorded this the day after...

If you're a fan of bizarre or surreal television, then we have a game for you! This week on the EXP Podcast, we debrief on Virginia, a narrative-based game that's part Twin Peaks and part X-Files. Is this short little game worth your time? And...

Fall is well underway and that means gearing up for new games. This week, we take a look at two of our most anticipated titles that couldn't be more different from one another: Super Mario Run and Titanfall 2. Join us as we wistfully...

I recently went on an extended vacation. While I was gone, Sony dropped the big news that Project Neo would actually be called the PS4 Pro. And not only is this fancy new piece of hardware selling for $399, it's launching this November. What does...

Almost all modern games share something in common, regardless of genre and style: patches! Whether it's a single-player sci-fi epic like No Man's Sky or an annual sports franchise like Madden, the game released on launch day is often...

Before we head into the busy fall season, we're wrapping up summer with a relaxing news update. Well, it was relaxing until we stumbled upon Miyamoto-san's secret time travel abilities. How else can you explain Nintendo's plans to put...

This week on the EXP Podcast, Kotaku's Nathan Grayson has us exploring the very depths of Overwatch's elo hell. Down there in the cold, dark abyss, one man sought to lower his rank to zero. And like some mortal man who sought to count himself among...

Behold! We have consulted the most ancient of tomes and conjured an auditory apparition for your amusements. Some may seek to explain this feat by turning to the actions of humankind and their feeble attempt to use technology to...

This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I take to the skys and poke strange alien creatures with sticks. We're back to No Man's Sky. Does the game live up to the hype? Is it possible to understand the breeding habits of the pyramid-headed freaks that...

If you're tired and need a break from space mining, here's a little piece of history for you. That's right: it's the last podcast recorded before No Man's Sky ushered in the new era of prosperity/despair in which we now find ourselves living (I'm...

This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I look at friendliness by the numbers. Thanks to a recent survey by research firm Quantic Foundry, we have some data about the ideal way gamers like to play with other people. Some of the results are actually...

What if you knew the exact number of minutes you spent in BioShock's hacking minigame? How about precise amount of damage done by Ryu's fireball? Do you ever dare look at your Spelunky death count? This week we're talking about "the quantified self"...

A game has done the unthinkable. It's made thousands of people go outside. Pokémon Go has become a cultural phenomenon overnight. Your parents, your neighbors, even your coworkers can be found wandering the streets in search of some rare...

This week we reach the triumphant conclusion of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. We go into all the grave-robbing, clock-smashing, jeep-winching antics. And before you ask, yes we did make a cheap pun about Drake's butt being a "theif's end."...

Blizzard has filed a lawsuit against Bossland, a German-based software company that sells access to cheat programs for Overwatch players. The company actually offers this service for other multiplayer games as well, but does cheating in...

Well, Quake, you've had a good run but it's really time to calm down and grow up. You're not a teen anymore, so you'll have trade your nail gun for a briefcase and rocket jump your way into some adult responsibility. All of this is a...

Kratos is a daddy, Norman Reedus got naked for Hideo Kojima, and Link can climb now. It's time for our annual E3 debrief! It was a big show this year, with some amazing highlights, from Snoop Dog getting high at an EA event to me wishing I was...

Dammit Leeroy, you were supposed to make a good Warcraft movie. We hate to break it to you, but it seems like Warcraft is joining the pantheon of cringe-worthy movies based on video games. Hey, it's not all bad though! It gives us a...

Med kits and healing rays are the topic of this week's EXP podcast. What games have the most interesting healing mechanics? And why can't you damn Overwatch players just protect the Mercy already, yeesh. Christopher Gile fuels our conversation this...

When's the last time you gave a hearty thumbs up to an opponent who successfully trounced your entire team? If the answer is probably somewhere between "never" and "one time by accident," Blizzard is trying to change that. We're continuing...

We did it! Scott and I have linked the flame (maybe), and beaten Dark Souls III. How does it hold up to Bloodborne? Did I ever figure out Sorcery? Has Scott stopped spamming R1 attacks all day in PVP? These questions and more in our epic Dark...

Horse warfare or robot warfare? You must choose a side. Unless you're like us and are holding out for robot horse warfare. The recent Battlefield 1 and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare trailers whipped the Internet in a...

Never count out Blizzard. Right when we think they can't take up more of our time, they come out with Overwatch. But will Overwatch replace other competitive games? Should we thinking about Overwatch as a lifestyle? All this and more!...

After dozens of hours, a whole bunch of graph paper, and more
than a little frustrated cursing, we've come to the end of The
Witness. Then again, maybe you never really finish The
Witness. I know I'm still seeing line puzzles hidden...

Welcome, Ashen One, to another Experience Points Debrief. This
week on the podcast, Scott and I eat some ember and get fired up
about Dark Souls III. This is a hefty game, and it will
take us both some time to complete our journey through Lothric,...

Ah college: a place where young minds realize their potential and where young wallets are mercilessly emptied by a combination of questionable self restraint and an unfeeling academic bureaucracy. While you're out of luck if you spend your book...

I just recently fulfilled a longtime dream of mine to visit Japan, the home place of Mario, Link, and whatever those creepy anime masks things are. It's a place I've visited in anime and games since I was a child, so there's something surreal about...

Remember that one game you loved oh so very much? Well have you played it lately? Maybe it's still a classic, but maybe the mists of your memory have obscured a harsher reality? This week, we talk about the games we remember liking,...

Ryan Green, one of the creators behind the heartbreaking and stunning That Dragon, Cancer recently published a blog post that discussed the use Let's Plays from the perspective of a game developer struggling to recoup development expenses. It's a...

It's true: Jorge and I have been sleeper agents of a para-military organization all this time. We've been activated and have taken our posts in The Division. However, our role is limited exclusively to playing video games and making videos...

Grab your shovel and put on your work boots, it's time to dig into farm games. This week on the podcast, we ponder the allure of Stardew Valley, the smoking habits of rural towns, and how to make mundane games a little more adult.
Show...

A dark shadow passes over you. Not a cloud, but a vulture. A tumbleweed rolls by and you watch it spin into the distance. You keep waiting for it to go out of site, but the barren desolation means you can watch it for miles....

We've all earned our fair share of bumps, scrapes, and bruises in real life. Some of us have persistent aches and pains, some of us have suffered all sorts of injuries, big and small. It's a common occurrence, but how well do games actually model...

The forest can be a beautiful place. Centuries-old trees shade your path as you walk through a sprawling valley. The river has carved this place out the eons and its serene, yet unyielding presence reminds you that it was here before any...

Quantum Break is coming to PC, which for some reason infuriates some Xbox One owners who feel mislead. Why so sensitive about the console vs PC market? Is something amiss on the world of console gaming? This week on the podcast, we discuss...

Activision is facing a lawsuit, probably not uncommon considering their size, this time from the family of Angolan resistance leader Jonas Savimbi. There are a lot of reasons his children might be angry, some of which make for an excellent...

Did you hear that? It was as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. Actually, it’s the opposite of that: those voices turned into a roiling stew of outrage and disappointment. Yes,...

Happy New Year everyone! We're ringing in 2016 with a look at the games to come. This week on the podcast, we discuss what we are most excited to play, what we think might not even come out this year, and the rich lore of Captain Planet.
Show...

Our Game of the Year plates were just too full to accommodate everything last week, so this week we talk about some more of our favorite games from 2015. It's like a delicious, unending plate of leftovers, so pile it high and indulge yourself....

What a year is has been for gaming! We've browsed through police interviews, parachuted through the sky, and dug deep into the earth. Now, as 2015 draws to a close, Scott and I return for our annual Game of the Year discussion. As always, we encourage..

It seems like anyone and everyone can have an awards show these days, so we've decided to test that theory. This week, we introduce our very own, highly serious, and extremely dignified awards show that will from here onwards be referred to as...

Winter has come at long last! This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I revisit the cold north of Telltale's Game of Thrones. This marks the end of Season 1. Did it achieve the great heights we've come to expect from Telltale? Does Mira get ahead of...

It just wouldn't be the holiday season without a little Call of Duty, now would it? Black Ops 3 is coming at you like swarm of angry bees. Don't worry though: we're here to guide you through this near-future dystopia. Rule number...

It's nearly Thanksgiving here in America. Today, Scott and I are both thankful we are not the last survivors of humanity wandering an irradiated wasteland. It's the small things, y'know? Let's celebrate by discussing the game everyone's been playing:...

Two-headed trolls? JRPG characters from the 90s? 10-second clips that spawn hours of speculation? It's all pretty standard business for Blizzard and Nintendo. The two companies recently announced some new and upcoming games...

The state of RPGs, Western and Japanese, ebbs and flows. It might just be the copy of Persona 4 Golden in my Vita, but right now I feel inundated with RPG options. From new spirit-trapping colletion games to the much anticipated Fallout 4,...

I recently returned from the Magic Kingdom and I bring with me tales of whimsy, churros, and missed opportunities for gamification. Disneyland is all about fostering the illusion of fantastical, yet grounded environments. Because of this,...

Halo 5: Guardians just release, and for the first time since the series began, the latest entry in the franchise does not feature split screen co-op. I only just learned of this travesty moments before recordings, so feast your eyes this week on...

Hey, I'm not saying that I'd pay for the ability to do the Carlton dance. What I am saying is that maybe the fact that other people can pay for the ability to do the Carlton dance isn't all bad. After all, it brings me enjoyment....

Console exclusive games are increasingly rare in our current console habitat, but this hasn't always been the case. How have our hardware limitations shaped our playing habitats and how we see entire genres? Will the future of VR look like older...

They say no news is good news and this week we can't really argue with that. It's been a little rough out there, but we can't use that as an excuse to turn a blind eye. Instead we wade into the mess and actually manage to find a few...

The latest Destiny ads are using Led Zeppelin songs, but based on all the events of Destiny's first year, I think Katy Perry might fit better. The Taken King is out and with it come a slew of big changes. This week, we talk about what's...

brings Hideo Kojima parachuting in from the skies to wreak havoc on sheep and the like. This week on the EXP Podcast, knowing we have a massive game in front of us, Scott and I discuss our first impressions of The Phantom Pain, from the tutorial to...

This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I bust out our huge collection of authentic Cool Spot merchandise and try to make our way into the Guinness Book of World Records. Did you know Mario was originally called Jumpman (of course you did), Skylanders..

Remember this day everyone: today is the beginning of what will almost certainly be our decades-long feud with Jimmy Kimmel. Inspired by his spat with let's play fans, we're diving into how and why seemingly-random people on YouTube have...

Everyone has been sucked up into the big glowing pattern in the sky. This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I go with them. What do we find there? Why some balls of light, a pastoral British village, and some serious problems with alien life forms of..

What keeps us out on the field? Is it sweet taste of victory? Is it the salty tears of our vanquished foes? Is it the idea that if we stop we will instantly become a sad has-been, unable to compete in all but the most casual public...

Far across the Atlantic ocean, in a land known but some as Germany, in a little village named Cologne, the games industry hold a convention so big it threatens to swallow us all. I have passed through this endless labyrinth of games, trekked through...

A stiff drink is in your hip flask. Your gun sits in your pocket, cold but comforting. Your mindset is one that doesn't just accept trouble; you seek it. You have everything you need to solve a murder. Actually what you really...

Scott and I have spent weeks on a boat crossing the narrow sea to bring you our latest Debrief. This week on the podcast, we once again join House Forrester and drag ourselves through the painful, violent, wretched existence that is Game of...

Gas up your tank folks, it's time to take a little joy ride around Gotham! This week, we soar over the city streets and dive head first into Batman: Arkham Knight. As with any debrief, we spend the first part of the show talking about...

EVO has come and gone, but the ringing in my ears from the fanatical shouts from the commentators continues. Who are these people and how did they get this job? What makes a good shoutcaster? More importantly, who will shoutcast the Scott vs. Jorge...

We had some sad news this past week: long-time game developer and Nintendo CEO, Satoru Iwata, died. This week, we pay tribute to him by talking about his incredible career and accomplishments. He leaves us with a huge legacy of outstanding...

That's it. We've had enough! Not of podcasting, but of some video games that just overstay their welcome. We can pinpoint why we play certain games, but why do we stop? When do we know when to quit? And what game elements make is reach that tipping...

We've finally reached the end of Earthbound. There's nothing to do now but recap the final challenges and do what we always do when we finish a game: discuss the nature of human fear and love, meditate on the line between spirituality and...

Shenmue, The Last Guardian, Final Fantasy VII remake, and Xbox backwards compatibility: These are the four horsemen of the apocalypse that herald the end times... Welcome to the E3 extravaganza! This week on the podcast, we discuss some of the show's...

Jorge haven't had too much luck with eSports, but maybe we'll have a shot at seaSports? Anyone? Whatever. You'll all come around when we win the Splatoon world championships. We've had some time to get our tentacles around...

The Game of Thrones television show is coming to and end, but the battle for House Forrestor is still well underway! This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I head north to battle some children, do some barrel rolls in King's Landing, and toss some...

Slaying ghouls, drowners, and nightwraiths: a dirty job, but somebody has to do it. However, are Jorge and I truly cut out for a life of witching? Only time will tell. This week we talk about the early hours of The Witcher...

At long last, it is time to cleanse these foul streets good hunter. This week on the EXP Podcast, we discuss the much anticipated system-seller: Bloodborne. Did it meet our expectations? Did Scott prove himself a "filthy casual?" Did we even make...

Every so often Jorge and I dive into the virtual newspaper and see if video game news is still weird and scary. Good news: it is! This week we talk about potential game to TV crossovers, the strange swamp of well-funded nostalgia is...

It's time once again to join Ness and friends on their journey through the wild and wacky world of Earthbound. This week on the podcast, Scott and I find all eight of the melodies, find similarities...

In the span of about a week, Valve rolled out a program for monetizing video game mods on Steam. Then, the Internet kind of blew up and they rolled it back. Now that the dust is finally starting to settle, we recap what went down and where...

Nothing says "hardcore" like replacing a C with a K. This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I dive into an MK/MK extravaganza! First we try our hands at NetherRealm's Mortal Kombat X, and soon discover our hands are covered in blood and guts....

My my, hey hey. Rhythm games are here to stay. It's better to burn out than to gather dust...if you're a plastic guitar that is. Yes, after years in hibernation, Guitar Hero and Rock Band are back on stage. Will that lead Jorge...

We are still in the early days of exploring all that Bloodborne has to offer, but the critical conversation about the game is happening right now. If we wait any longer, Yarnham may be inundated with snake-meatballs and ravens! This week on the EXP...

We have come a long way from Onette Valley everyone! This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I join Ness, Paula, and Jeff in the world of Earthbound. From secret waterfalls to parental neglect, there is a lot to discuss If you are playing along with...

Classic arcade characters are on the rampage, Kojima has disappeared, and Nintendo has acknowledged the existence of smart phones: what the heck is happening out there? This week, Jorge and I do a quick news roundup in an attempt to make sense...

The Game Developers Conference, PAX East/Prime/South/West/Arctic, Twitch Con. There are just so many conventions to attend each year, all hoping to grab your attention with a selection of games, from Triple A to indie. This week on the EXP Podcast,...

Zombies, fits of uncontrollable crying, and idyllic villages full of aliens: just another day in Earthbound. We return to our game to talk about parenthood, friendship, and cryptozoology. We've played up to Ness' arrival in mysterious...

You probably have a box of them in your house. Some of them might be broken or worn down through use. Others you may have broken throwing against a wall. They are video game controllers, and we love to hate them and argue which are better than others...

Why is the thimble the best Monopoly piece? What makes naked Shulk so enraging? Why does your best friend always pick the red token? Lots of things influence the avatars we pick in games. Inspired by G. Christopher...

It's time to take the black my sworn brothers and sisters. This week on the EXP Podcast, we jump right back into a world dark and full of terrors: Game of Thrones. Telltale's story continues, taking us on a journey from Essos, to Westeros, and the...

The time has come! Grab your baseball bats and and your hamburgers because it's time to play Earthbound. We start our journey with some broad thoughts about this supremely strange game and make it to the Happy Happy Village before...

From overturned wagons to the earthquakes, games have long been rife with disaster, but how well have they depicted tragedy? And what risks do we take when designing for tragedy in games? This week on the EXP Podcast, we are inspired by Paste's Maddy...

This week on the podcast, our very own Jorge Albor creates a new genre: "big small games." Don't worry, it actually makes sense. We've been laboring under the majestic weight of sprawling epics like Dragon Age: Inquisition and Middle...

We may have enough games to while away eternity, all from the latest Steam sale alone, but Scott and I still find time to check-in on our regularly scheduled games of the season. This week on the EXP Podcast, we bring up our patch notes and...

Gather round, my sweet summer children. Winter isn't coming; it's here, as is the first episode of Telltale's Game of Thrones series. Hanah joins us this week as we recap the story so far and justify our choices. We swear we acted for the good of the...

One hundred years ago, the world was at War. Today we are remembering how that war effected the lives of millions, and continues to effect our own lives today, by playing a video game. This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I discuss Valiant...

We talked about our games of the year and the honorable mentions and now it's time to wrap up 2014. Let's start 2015 by taking a look at the calendar and talking about the games we're looking forward to playing next year. What do you see...

Last week we delivered out Games of the Year podcast, but that list is just so short! Scott and I have returned to further unpack the exciting year of video games and give a nod to some of the most interesting games of 2014. Some will will surprise,...

It's that time of year again everyone: the time when we make the painful decisions. The time when we take stock of the year and elevate three champions that represent the year's high points. It's our Games of the Year for 2014 (because who...

What happens in Vegas gets shared all across the internet! This week on the Experience Points Podcast, Scott and discuss the latest news and announcement from the Game Awards show and Sony's Playstation Experience event. You can prepare yourself for...

In what is becoming the World Cup of the video game universe (Sorry Snake, looks like Pac Man bested you in the qualifying round), the medium’s marquee mascots have gathered once again to partake in the time honored tradition of beating the crap...

Super Smash Bros. WiiU came out on Friday and yet we still haven't shown our complete and utter dominance as Jigglypuff yet. Why all the rush? Because some games are just meant to be played day one. But which games and why? Join us this week on...

Like a demonic phoenix rising from a feces-laden alter, The Binding of Isaac has returned.Rebirth adds cooperative play, scores of new items, and a visual remake (or de-make?). This week we return from our trip in the basement and...

The yearly barometer for shooters and the games industry at large is out! Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare just hit store shelves we are heeding our own call of duty by reviewing and discussing the latest in the multi-million dollar franchise....

This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I get up out of our seats and jump around! It's time to dissect the art and design of the perfect jump.
Oh! One other thing we forgot. The EXP Podcast has reached 300 episodes! Thanks to each and every one of...

Your digital library might be limitless, but your entertainment center only has so much space on it. At a certain point it’s time to box up your old consoles and join the next generation. Before that happens, it’s worth taking...

On your lunch break? Starving for a mouth-watering podcast to sink your teeth into? Look no further! This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I head to the kitchen to discuss food in games. We round out the podcast at our usual thirty-minute mark, but...

You wake up and roll out of bed. You strap on the rare gauntlets you found yesterday, you realize you don't have time for breakfast. When you reach the mouth of the cave, you load your rifle and pull the trigger. The thrall's head...

What does P.T. stand for? Podcast time! This week on the show, Scott and I explore the endless hallways of P.T. and come back with our thoughts on the Silent Hills playable teaser, the creative mind of Hideo Kojima, and what the final product might...

You thought buying a full priced game was expensive? Microsoft just bought Mojang, and Minecraft along with them, for 2.5 billion dollars. That is way more money than I spent to play the game. So how does Microsoft plan on making it worth their while?..

Babysitting has never been so stressful.
It’s been a long and deadly road, but we’ve finally made it to the finale of The Walking Dead, Season 2. It’s the culmination of all the big questions: How does Clem adapt to...

The football season is back, but the eSports League of Legends season is almost coming to a close. Now I can go from sitting in a room watching strangers play a video game to sitting in a room watching strangers play a sports ball game. How...

"After I no-scoped that noob I broke down and cried."
Can games inspire catharsis? If you mean expel bodily fluids, then yes, I suppose it's an inevitability. For the sake of your couch, I wouldn't recommend it. Instead, why...

Did you see that amazing and gorgeous looking trailer from Gamescom!? It was a fully rendered marvel! I can't wait to see how it will look in the much more limited and realistic setting of the actual game, you know, we can finally know what it is,...

If you look closely, you can see the ghost drivers.
Video games are often considered a form of escapism, but what about the games that attempt to painstakingly model the small intricacies of the real world? Jorge and I aren’t very...

Your bank account is slowly tricking away into nothing. Can you even remember all the services you subscribe to, right now, off the top of your head? This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I discuss all the ways we pay for games and services in more...

Image from Tell Tale
Join us “Amid the Ruins” for a discussion on episode 4 of The Walking Dead's second season. As the title suggests, this episode deals with the consequences of some very dramatic events....

Destiny is still more than a month away from release, but already there is so much to talk about! This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I delve into our early thoughts about the game. Is it living up to the anticipation? Does the look and feel...

The occasional strangeness of Valiant Hearts
We launch these podcasts every week, but still there is never enough time to touch on every game we play, even if they make an impression. This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I...

As a relative outsider, I see Notch as an almost-mythical figure. Here is a being who created a system of divine rules upon which millions have built their own worlds. Maybe that's a bit dramatic, but it seems fair to say that Notch has a...

The granddaddy of kart racing is back! Mario Kart 8 just made its triumphant return to the Wii U recently, and Scott and I got a chance to blast our way through a variety of tracks. Suffice it to say it made enough of an impression to fuel...

The summer doesn't truly start until pounding music, flashing lights, and the collective funk of thousands of sweaty video game enthusiasts assault your senses. That is, unless you're like me, who watched E3 2014 from the safety and comfort of the...

Twenty-five years ago, Nintendo gifted upon us mere mortals the Game Boy, defining handheld gaming for years to come. Today on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I go into our histories with the portable device, what we've been playing now, and what has us...

Many of us have been playing games for decades now, which means we’ve seen a lot. Huge advances in computing technology, the evolution of controller schemes, the rise and fall of Gex the Gecko: there’s been a lot at which to...

We just played Transistor for you yesterday, but we saved our many thoughts for this moment. Here it is, our debrief on one our most anticipated games of 2014. As always, lets have a discussion about the game in the comments below! I'm...

Why would you live a life of boring safety when you could start a new society in the aftermath of the zombie apocalypse? Actually, Episode 3 of this season's Walking Dead series offers plenty of arguments in favor of a nice, quiet existence....

Nintendo recently announced a re-release of Pokémon Sapphire and Ruby for the 3DS. The future for the series is bright, but have we already forgotten the past? This week on the podcast, Scott and I take on the ultimate challenge. How...

Quick Rorschach test: what do you see when you look at the Luftrausers logo? Well, aside from the two of you that said "puppies" (weirdos), it seems that everyone is seeing Nazi-related imagery. The trick is that the game isn't about...

Games for Change, the organization dedicated to games that seek to impact society in some positive way beyond the production of entertainment, just hosted its 11th annual festival in New York this year. I was lucky enough to attend in person and check..

Blame it on the war economy, blame it on the nanomachines, or blame it on our secret admiration of mullets; the bottom line is that Jorge and I found ourselves sneaking through Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes. It's a fascinating game in...

Werner Herzog has been pretty busy lately, so Valve has to take it upon themselves to produce a feature documentary about DOTA 2. This week on the podcast, Scott and I dissect Free to Play, a personal look into the 2011 Internationals. You can...

As if trying to mimic the vast reach of the river with which it shares its name, Amazon is pushing into the media player market. Unsurprisingly, The Amazon Fire TV will tie into video streaming services, but it looks as if games will also be a...

Our submersible is ready and our scuba gear is donned. We are ready once again to visit the terrible sunken city of Rapture. This week in the EXP Podcast, Scott and I delve into Burial at Sea, the final story-driven DLC for Bioshock...

Jack in to net, cyber-citizens: it’s time to talk about virtual reality. More specifically, it’s time to chat about the looming release of several VR headsets. This podcast was recorded a couple days before Facebook-Oculus Rift bombshell...

The words all pilots want to hear.
This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I drop into Respawn's Titanfall, and what a drop it is! How well does the mech-shooter live up to expectations? Does the multiplayer campaign revolutionize FPS...

Spring may be on the horizon for us, but things continue to get colder and darker in for Clementine and the rest of The Walking Dead crew. The weather is getting worse, too. As usual, we spend some time discussing the overall...

Between Double Fine's first steps into the crowd sourced funding landscape and Broken Age's release this past month, Kickstarter came of age. Our expectations have soared to great heights, plummeted back down like a rock, and risen again,...

There are some weeks when I swear I spend as much time watching games as I do playing them. Let’s Plays, Twitch streams, and tournament broadcasts are thriving. The usual assumption behind all these types of broadcasts is that there are people...

How do you find games? Or do they find you? Who are your trusted sources for video game news and what sort of effort do you put into finding strange or weird games? This week on the podcast, Scott and I wonder how we heard about The Walking...

Last week, an unassuming little game called Flappy Bird managed to ruffle some feathers. Sorry, I just had to do that. The entire saga is actually a fairly sad tale about the video games press, attitudes towards intellectual property, and...

I have not finished Dark Souls. Can I still sit at the big kids table? This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I join in on the AV Club's discussion about Dark Souls and status symbol games. How did this brutally difficult game become...

Getting early access to a game used to be a pretty tall order. You might weasel your way into a limited beta, find a preview disk in a magazine, or poke around the shadier parts of the Internet. Today, it’s much easier: you can just buy your way...

Out of seemingly nowhere, a little unambitious game was included on both Scott and I's favorite games of 2013. That game was Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, a simple coming-of-age story that manages to achieve, seemingly with ease, what so...

Much like the eponymous monsters for which it is named, The Walking Dead is back! This week, we have a thorough conversation on episode one of Telltale's second season of the Walking dead. For those of you who haven't played it, what are you waiting...

The year has barely begun, but already the horizon is chock full of interesting titles, from competitive indie sword fights to face-crunching future-battles. This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I delve into our most anticipated games of 2014....

Scott made Santa's shortlist this year and the jolly old man dropped off a beautiful Zelda-inspire WiiU on his doorstep. This week on the podcast, Scott and I explore some of the subtle and not-so-subtle elements of the WiiU interface. We also take...

It's the last podcast of 2013 and it just so happens to fall on Christmas Day. In the spirit of giving, Hanah gives up some of her time to drop by and talk about gifts in games and some of the games that received her attention this past year....

Last week we talked about our favorite games of 2013. While these were our favorite experiences of the year, they were not necessarily the games that took up most of our time and attention. Sometimes rough edges and flawed experiments make...

2013 is coming to a close and it was, well, a strange one. As is tradition, it is time to choose and discuss our personal selection of favorite games! Join us this week as we revisit some of this year's best, and be sure to come back next week when we..

Santa came early to the Experience Points household and he brought a shiny new PlayStation 4 with him! This week, we dip a toe into the next generation and report back with some early impressions of the new system's controller, operating system, and...

The infamous and controversial David Cage of Quantic Dream is at it again! This time, he's got Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe on his side. Is this a huge departure from Heavy Rain? Has Cage achieved his vision? Is Aiden the ghost dad we've always...

It took two months, but we finally did it: Jorge and I both finished Grand Theft Auto V. It was a massive game by any measure: its development time, the scope of its open world, it's sales numbers, etc. This week we devote an entire episode to GTA V's..

Who let the dog out!? Infinity Award apparently. This week on the podcast, Scott and I are joined by Riley, our lovable canine companion, to discuss Call of Duty: Ghost. This Triple-A behemoth is always worth a visit, and now maybe more than...

Theoretically, sequels exist because we want something familiar. But what exactly are we seeking when we play games that are part of established franchises? Is it the next chapter of an ongoing story, a new adventure for a familiar...

I ran over a deer today in GTA V and I felt nothing. What monster have a become!? This week on the podcast, we're inspired once again by a Gameological Q&A to discuss our animal-killing ways. Join as we talk about tiger royalty, scarcity, cute...

We have plenty of heroes in the video game world, but how many of them are likeable? That's the question the Gameological Society staff recently discussed. We run through their picks and throw a few of our own personal picks in the mix....

The Master Chief has been floating in space for the past four years, but the entire time, the folks at 343 Industries were busy thinking of ways to reinvigorate the franchise without pissing off millions of fans. This week on the podcast, with a...

Technically, you could play GTA without breaking any laws, but wouldn't that be like playing Mario without jumping? This week, thanks to Mitch Krpata's article about verbs in games, we talk about the gap between the theoretical...

Valve is shaking up the games industry again with a set of three recent announcements (none of which were Half-Life 3 unfortunately). Leaping bravely into the Next Gen Console space, Valve will soon release their very own operating system,...

We've wandered through these castle ever-shifting castle walls for so long, but we've finally escaped. Actually, both Jorge and I are still fighting our way through Rogue Legacy, but after dozens of generations of fallen heroes, we decided it...

"Wait! Don't touch that... welp, you touched it."
Ouya might be struggling right now, but the concept of a cheap and adaptable home console alternative to the big three is here to stay. What does that mean for the future of gaming? And what does it..

Thanks to you, the EXP mailbag is once again full of questions! This week, we dig through your emails, comments, and tweets, trying our best to sound like we know what we're talking about. Fourth-wall etiquette, the "indie aesthetic," steam sales,...

Gamescom 2013, the enormous yearly gaming event in Cologne, Germany, wrapped up about a week ago. While there were no huge splashes this year, we spend this podcast visiting some of the most noteworthy news items. Join us this week on the show while...

Hot off the heels of our "Homage to Homes," Jorge and I have made our way through Gone Home, a game whose entire point is to explore a house and its inhabitants. It's dedication to portraying everyday environments and ordinary people actually makes it..

The football season is upon us! Yet while the games might be raging in the stadiums, our gaming habits have long since abandoned sports games. Why did we play sports games more when we were young? Why did they fall off our radar? And what could bring...

I've come to terms with the fact that there's probably never going to be another Bubsy game. That won't break too many hearts, but what happens when we're faced with the potential "death" of a widely loved series like Final Fantasy? Chris...

In one of the moving boxes around my home are my gaming systems, surely one of the nondescript ones at the bottom of a box mountain. While I try to maneuver through the moving process, we thought now would be a good time to discuss homes and the stuff..

Enclosed, please find one ticket to the Player Haters' Ball. After last week's podcast about the potential benefits of having a strong personality and being outspoken about your opinion (even if it's unpopular), Jorge and I decided to jump up on...

Scott and I like to think we are experts on the subjects of jerks, meany-heads, curmudgeonly folk, and brutes. Yet while our opinions on assholes might be settled, the role of the creative a*****e in the games industry is still hotly debated. This...

As Tuesday's video demonstrated, Jorge and I had a great time watching EVO 2013 last weekend. It was a pleasure seeing players at the top of their games, but it was also a great opportunity to check in on the state of fighting games and eSports (from...

Our summer is only a few months long, but in The Walking Dead, apparently it lasts at least 400 days. Maybe that's just Georgia... This week on the EXP Podcast, Scott and I hunker down in our tree-fort and discuss the latest episodic DLC from...

Nothing says "summer fun" like a bleak journey through a ruined society whose inhabitants are more deadly than the monsters that caused their original downfall! This week, Jorge and I talk about The Last of Us. There's a lot to talk about:...

We live in mad times folks. Mad times! Just one week after podcasting about Microsoft's draconian DRM policies and the company does a complete one-eighty, succumbing to popular demand and economic pressure. Why the crowds largely celebrated the...

What is going on in this crazy world!? This week on the EXP podcast, Scott and I discuss the games and revelations coming out of E3, but since the time of recording, importance announcements have already broke! Microsoft took a lesson from countless...

This week, we take a mid-week breather from all the E3 madness to talk about a subject that's actually one of the bigger features of both Microsoft and Sony's new consoles: screencasting. What once started out as "Let's Plays" on obscure corners...

The Humble Indie Bundle 8 is in full swing, so this week we discuss some of the games we've been able to play so far. The bundle's wide range of games means we discuss everything from the competitive, skill-driven systems of Awesomenauts and Hotline...

Curiosity screen via IGN
We have opened the cube and holy cow, Peter Molyneux was inside the whole time! But what else is inside the controversial designer's bizarre experiment? And what does cube's contents mean for the young grand-prize...

We're all still trying process Microsoft's vision of the future, so why don't we take a short break and consider one of Valve's recent reveals. In a move that both Jorge and I find bizarre and terrifying, Valve is piloting Steam trading cards....

We thought Lucas Arts and Star Wars 1313 was our last hope for a great Star Wars game. But no. There is another. With the recent announcement that Disney will be handing over the video game licenses for Star Wars to EA, the internet has been...

This week, we open a gateway to the spirit realm to call forth a podcast that defies the feeble constraints our earthly plane and human minds. "What sorcery is this?" you ask. It is precisely that, mortal: this week we talk about magic....

The spring lull is upon us. Without any huge release on the immediate horizon, Scott and are using this time to visit some of the games currently taking up space in our busy calendars. From gamified exercise to eSports and beyond, Scott and I have...

This week's podcast was inspired by Katie, an intrepid reader who recently left a comment on something Jorge wrote way back in 2008 (talk about a deep cut!). Jorge's post came at the beginning of this generation's co-op boom and Katie's response...

Scott and I have ventured deep into Yamatai's hidden tomb and returned with a treasure trove of insight into the exciting Lara Croft reboot from Crystal Dynamics. After a painfully long, and troublesome, hype cycle, we can at last return from the...

This podcast started with a single question I posed to Jorge: "If someone who has never played games came to you and asked you to show them what video games are all about, what would you show them?" It's a big question, one that may well be impossible..

Almost six years after BioShock took the world by storm and forever changed our relationship to video games, the esteemed Ken Levine is back with another work of fantastical and historical fiction. At last, after several...

We get it: you're busy. Professional, familial, and personal obligations have a habit of expanding to the point where video games get crowded out. However, all is not lost: inspired by Tina Amini's post, this week's podcast is a discussion...

New technology that aims to revolutionize gaming is around the corner, yet millions of people are still happy to sit down around a table and place an old-fashioned board game. The two industries have been growing, but have they been growing closer...

This city is afraid of me. I have seen its true face. The streets are extended gutters and the gutters are full of blood and when the drains finally scab over, all the vermin will drown. The accumulated filth of all their sex and murder will foam up...

Oh David Cage, will you always be a source of contention and fascinating design discussions? If my tea leaves tell me anything, it's that the creative mind behind Heavy Rain and the upcoming Beyond: Two Souls will always be...

Bust out your tin foil hats, because you're being watched. Of course, you probably already knew that; achievement logs aren't all that hard to find, are they? There's no doubt that we have more data about how we play games than ever...

The PlayStation 4 was announced! OMG! But hey, the new console is still a long way from release and we have games to play now. This week on the podcast, Scott and I discuss the games currently on our playlist. From the over-the-top Metal Gear...

When it comes to conversations, especially between three talkative people, Twitter just doesn't cut it. Therefore, when Mattie Brice, Jorge, and I started trading tweets about the merits of difficulty in games, we knew it was time to change...

America's most widely celebrated holiday, the Superbowl, has come and gone. While all of us over here in the Bay Area are mourning, Scott and I have our minds tuned to video games - well, sort of. Specifically, inspired by an article from Tim Rogers,...

There is a sub-genre of point-and-click adventures with a huge fan-base. Escape the Room puzzles, as the name implies, fill confined spaces with puzzles that hold the secrets of escape. Glyphs might be hidden in couches, parts of a clock...

Scott and I have had "insider conversations" with one Mr. Businessman, which ultimately proved fruitless. Instead, we have our own conversation about the upcoming console cycle. Where is all the hype for the next release? Is there anything we should...

Remember when we asked you about your favorite things of 2012? Well, you all delivered! This week, we formally give 2012 a stylish send-off by talking with old friends, listening to new voices, and discussing some great reader submissions....

Spec Ops: The Line made a surprisingly large splash in the critical games sphere considering its trouble development and relatively low set of expectations. Critical Distance gathered up a huge collection of the best writings on the game, which...